National Security Office Holds Meeting to Review AI Hacking Threats... Joint Response Team of Technical Experts to Be Launched

Chaired by Deputy Director Oh Hyunjoo;
Attendees Include the Ministry of Science and ICT, National Intelligence Service, and Ministry of National Defense
"AI Is Both a New Threat and a Key Driver of Security Innovation"

On May 13, the National Security Office will convene an interagency meeting to assess the current status of responses to cyber threats using high-performance artificial intelligence (AI). As the potential for hacking utilizing AI technologies is becoming a reality, the National Security Office has also decided to establish a joint response team among relevant ministries for sharing vulnerability information and enabling immediate action.

On this day, the National Security Office announced that it would hold a meeting on current cyber security issues chaired by Oh Hyunjoo, the third deputy director of the National Security Office. The meeting will be attended by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the National Intelligence Service, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the Financial Services Commission, among others.

This meeting was organized to review the status of government responses to AI-based cyber threats and to discuss future countermeasures. The National Security Office assesses that the risk of cyberattacks utilizing AI is rising, especially as major global information technology (IT) companies have recently released successive AI models such as Mythos, which are equipped with hacking and security capabilities.

Accordingly, the National Security Office has called for urgent responses from the Ministry of Science and ICT (responsible for the private sector), the National Intelligence Service (public sector), and the Ministry of National Defense (military sector). Each ministry is strengthening communication with the relevant enterprises and organizations within their jurisdiction and distributing guidelines for responding to AI-based security threats, among other necessary measures.

The meeting will focus on measures to prepare for the possibility that the spread of AI utilization could lead to a sharp increase in the discovery of security vulnerabilities. In particular, practical solutions will be discussed to support rapid responses such as vulnerability patching, not only in the private sector—including large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises—but also across the public sector, including government, local governments, and public institutions.

The relevant ministries agree that the cyber security paradigm is rapidly shifting to an AI-centric approach and plan to discuss next-generation cyber security strategies, including AI-specialized security and quantum technology-based security. Based on the outcomes of the meeting, the government will operate a joint response team composed mainly of technical experts from the relevant ministries to facilitate prompt sharing of vulnerability information and immediate action.

Deputy Director Oh stated, "Although new threats are increasing due to AI-powered hacking, AI is also a key driver for innovating security capabilities. We will enhance our security technology capabilities in response to the changing environment, solidify the AI-based security industry and data security systems, and continue to strengthen the nation's cyber security response capacity."